Russia's envoy to UN dies in New York
Bashar Ja'afari (left), Syria's Ambassador to the United Nations, speaks to Vitaly Churkin, Russia's Ambassador to the UN in the United Nations Security Council on September 27, 2013 in New York. Mr Churkin died while working in New York. PHOTO | AFP
What you need to know:
- Mr Churkin had served as ambassador to the UN since 2006, developing a reputation as a steadfast defender of Russian policy.
- Mr Churkin had previously served as an envoy to Canada, Belgium and as a special representative to the talks on former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.
Vitaly Churkin, who would have celebrated his 65th birthday on Tuesday, died suddenly while at work in New York, Russia's Foreign ministry said in a statement.
The cause of the veteran diplomat's death is unclear.
Mr Churkin had served as ambassador to the UN since 2006, developing a reputation as a steadfast defender of Russian policy.
Russia's Foreign ministry paid tribute to an "outstanding diplomat", while Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for the UN secretary-general's office, said he was "quite stunned".
Samantha Power, the former US ambassador to the UN, took to social media to pay tribute to Mr Churkin, writing on Twitter: "Devastated by passing of Russian UN Amb Vitaly Churkin.
"Diplomatic maestro and deeply caring man who did all he could to bridge US-RUS differences."
Mr Churkin had previously served as an envoy to Canada, Belgium and as a special representative to the talks on former Yugoslavia in the early 1990s.
